Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 May 2022
22. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in advancing a building project at a hospital (details supplied); when it will proceed to the next stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26864/22]
View answerThe HSE has advised that a proposal for a project to develop additional capacity at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh is currently being considered.
This proposal involves the provision of an additional 10 bed High Dependency Unit, 76 bed ward, 3 theatres & radiology refurbishments, allowing Cappagh to further increase its surgical throughput.
The proposal has been included in the HSE National Capital Programme and an initial allocation has been granted in 2022 for the completion of a Strategic Assessment Report. The final decision to proceed with this project will be made in line with the Public Spending Code.
Earlier this year, I asked the HSE, Children’s Heath Ireland (CHI), as well as senior orthopaedic clinicians from CHI at Temple Street, CHI at Crumlin and Cappagh to develop a dedicated plan to reduce the number of children waiting for spinal orthopaedic procedures, specifically scoliosis and spina bifida, by year end. More specifically, €3.4 million has been committed to support CHI paediatric orthopaedic activity at Cappagh to undertake non-complex surgery for paediatric patients aged 2 years and over. This builds on €1.65 allocation to Cappagh under the Access to Care Programme.
